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Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Comment by His Grace Bishop Angaelos on the refugee crisis

Welcoming those less fortunate

By His Grace Bishop Angaelos,

General Bishop of the Coptic
Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom

Until now, the Middle East crisis has been
contained in that part of the world, and has, for some, become somewhat of a
distant reality. If we have occasionally been moved by what we have seen or
heard in reports, we have also had the relative comfort of being several steps
removed from the situation. Now however, we are witnessing the movement of tens
of thousands of desperate people fleeing that crisis and approaching the shores
of Europe to seek refuge, and so the issue has become much more immediate and
closer to home.

I have recently visited both refugee camps in
Erbil and transit camps on the Greek-Macedonian (FYROM) border at Idomeni, and
have therefore seen this humanitarian tragedy from both sides. This has
provided an invaluable opportunity to personally meet and speak with many
humanitarian aid workers and volunteers, as well as those in camps, and those
making the dangerous journey. It has also further reinforced my view that this
is a humanitarian crisis of a scale unseen since the Second World War, and that
it can only be satisfactorily addressed, let alone resolved, through
collaboration among and between states, NGOs and religious institutions.

During my visit to Idomeni it was painful
to hear a young Syrian man say “…in Syria we are now used to quick deaths
that come with bombs or shootings, but what we are experiencing in these
journeys is a slow death.” The fact that these refugees willingly travel,
sometimes with their children, in what they themselves call ‘death boats’ is
proof of the desperate situations they are fleeing, and their struggle should
not be belittled.

Along these journeys, vulnerable refugees, many
of whom are children and minors, become easy prey for trafficking and organised
crime gangs that exploit this vulnerability in a way that shames our
humanity. We must therefore not close our ears to the cries of those who flee
the horrors of their day-to-day existence in war-torn homelands to face even more
horrific journeys. As more borders close, refugees who have already sacrificed
almost everything will still find alternate routes because they have nothing to
lose. In anticipation, we must collaborate to formulate a coherent and humane
response and continue to protect those in greatest need while recognising and
preserving their dignity.

As the United Kingdom prepares to welcome
refugees from camps bordering Syria under the Government’s Vulnerable People
Relocation Scheme (VPRS), it is imperative that we look at the whole issue of
asylum with renewed insight. Until now, refugees have
been considered by many as a potential burden and/or threat on and to our
communities, and an additional drain on our economy. Looking with humane eyes however,
we must realise that the majority of these vulnerable individuals have
experienced immense suffering and loss and have not wanted to, but have been
compelled to, leave their countries, communities, and all they have behind.
Many have even more tragically also lost loved ones in this ongoing conflict.

The Prime Minister’s initiative to
accept 20,000 refugees from camps bordering Syria over the next five years is
welcomed, as it will indeed make a significant difference to those people and
their families. While this is a start to solving a problem that is now of
immense magnitude, we are also hopeful that these numbers will be revisited
over time, and increased when possible to accommodate the ever-increasing flow
of people fleeing conflict, war and persecution.
As we see people come into the United Kingdom under
this scheme or others, it is worth considering our outlook on the overall
situation.

I was moved by the call of a senior figure
within UNHCR Greece during my recent visit, who challenged us as Church
leaders to make the teaching of Matthew 25 manifest: “Come, you
blessed of My Father…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me
drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me;
I was in prison and you came to Me.” This commandment is timeless and without
exception, it applies today just as much as it did 2000 years ago when our Lord
Jesus Christ Himself sought refuge in Egypt, fleeing adversity (Matthew 2:13).

As we do our utmost to serve those in great
need, we pray for the millions currently displaced, those currently in refugee
camps, and others who have embarked on treacherous journeys fleeing war and
conflict; we also pray for policy makers, aid workers and volunteers who are
dealing with this complex situation first-hand.